title: Evaluation of suspected child abuse at the ED; implementation of American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines in the Netherlands.
abstract: Emergency departments (EDs) are important to detect child physical abuse. A structured approach will contribute to an adequate detection of abused children at the ED. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provided guidance in the clinical approach to the evaluation of suspected physical abuse in children. In the Netherlands, these American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines have been adopted for the clinical process of child abuse detection. Here, we describe the outcome of the clinical process in the year 2010 with 65 cases of suspected child abuse out of 3660 children presenting at an ED, and we discuss the strengths and pitfalls of this current clinical approach.
authors.affiliation: General Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, PO Box 85090, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.s.sittig@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Judith S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sittig
authors.affiliation: General Pediatrics, St Antonius Hospital, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erica D M
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Post
authors.affiliation: General Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, PO Box 85090, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ingrid M B
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Russel
authors.affiliation: General Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, PO Box 85090, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ingrid A G
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.affiliation: General Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, PO Box 85090, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Edward E S
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Nieuwenhuis
authors.affiliation: General Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, PO Box 85090, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elise M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: van de Putte
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology